Westmeath stick with league final team

WESTMEATH HAVE decided to start without Dessie Dolan and David Duffy for Sunday's opening fixture of the football championship against Longford. Manager Tomás Ó Flatharta has left unchanged the team that overcame Dublin in last month's NFL Division Two final in Navan.

"It was unlikely that the team that won the league would be changed," according to county PRO Des Maguire. "But there's a clean bill of health and both Dessie and David will be able to come into the match at some stage, even if they're not ready to start."

The Leinster first round match is a repeat of last year's when Westmeath surprisingly blew a six-point half-time lead to lose by three, although they avenged that defeat in the All-Ireland qualifiers.

Ó Flatharta's team for the weekend is fairly similar to the one that started 12 months ago with Derek Heavin replacing long-term injury casualty David O'Shaughnessy in the back line and up front championship newcomers Dermot Bannon, who shot three points from play against Dublin, and Doran Harte coming in for Dolan and Paul Bannon.

According to Maguire the mood in the county is upbeat and the team has re-focused after its NFL success.

"This is the big one," he said. "Last year we lost this and they're not going to let what happened in the league go to their heads. It's a local derby and they've home advantage so there'll be no complacency. Longford gave Dublin a good run for it two years ago as well.

"There's a good mood in the county. We're playing in Division One next year, but this is the championship. This is what they've been training for all year.

"When he said he was staying in charge at the end of last season, Tomás Ó Flatharta said: 'I'll prove that this is a good team'. I think they're better now than in recent years. There's more depth to the panel." Longford will name their side after training this evening.

Meanwhile, Waterford hurling management breathed a sigh of relief with the news that All Star Tony Browne has received an eight-week suspension that is applicable only at club level.

He received a red card playing for his club Mount Sion, but was reported for dangerous play, which carries a four-week, club-specific minimum suspension. The punishment was doubled as he had been sent off for a similar offence within the last year.

Hurler of the Year Dan Shanahan's scan of a knee injury confirmed the Waterford management's assessment that there had been no ligament damage, although the player will not be able to take a full part in the intensive preparations for the Munster first round tie against Clare in three weeks time when the panel head off for a week's warm-weather training in Villamura in Portugal next Monday.

Tyrone attacker Owen Mulligan is a doubt for the Ulster football championship opener against Down next month. Mulligan is struggling to overcome a hamstring injury picked up during the National League back in March.

He missed the remaining three games of the campaign, and has been out of action in the intervening eight weeks.

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte has confirmed that he will not use friendly games to prepare for the clash with Down despite the fact that his team will have gone eight weeks without a competitive fixture come the June 8th tie.

He wants his players to maintain match sharpness by playing league football for their clubs.

WESTMEATH (SFC v Longford):G Connaughton; F Boyle, K Gavin, J Keane; M Ennis, D Heavin, D Healy; M Flanagan, D O'Donoghue; F Wilson, J Smyth, D Harte; A Mangan, D Glennon, D Bannon.